Ecclesiastes 5:16
And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit has he who has labored for the wind?
Additional Resources
Other Translations
Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts
Throughout his days, he eats in darkness, with great frustration, sickness, and anger.
King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)
And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers
And this{H2090} also is a grievous{H2470} evil,{H7451} that in all points{H5980} as he came,{H935} so shall he go:{H3212} and what profit{H3504} hath he that he laboreth{H5998} for the wind?{H7307}
King James Version with Strong's Numbers
And this{H2090} also is a sore{H2470}{(H8802)} evil{H7451}, that in all points{H5980} as he came{H935}{(H8804)}, so shall he go{H3212}{(H8799)}: and what profit{H3504} hath he that hath laboured{H5998}{(H8799)} for the wind{H7307}?
Coverdale Bible (1535)
This is a miserable plage, yt he shal go awaye euen as he came. What helpeth it him then, yt he hath labored in the wynde?
Geneva Bible (1560)
(5:15) And this also is an euill sickenes that in all pointes as he came, so shall he goe, and what profit hath he that he hath traueiled for the winde?
Bishops' Bible (1568)
This is a miserable plague, that he shall go euen as he came away: What helpeth it him then that he hath laboured in the wynde?
Authorized King James Version (1611)
And this also [is] a sore evil, [that] in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
Webster's Bible (1833)
This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?
Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)
And this also `is' a painful evil, just as he came, so he goeth, and what advantage `is' to him who laboureth for wind?
American Standard Version (1901)
And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind?
American Standard Version (1901)
And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind?
Bible in Basic English (1941)
All his days are in the dark, and he has much sorrow, pain, disease, and trouble.
World English Bible (2000)
This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?
NET Bible® (New English Translation)
This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?
Referenced Verses
- Prov 11:29 : 29 He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind, and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.
- Eccl 1:3 : 3 What profit does a man have from all his labor which he does under the sun?
- Eccl 2:22-23 : 22 For what has man from all his labor, and of the striving of his heart with which he has labored under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work is burdensome; even at night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
- Eccl 5:13 : 13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners to their hurt.
- Isa 26:18 : 18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have, as it were, brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth, nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
- Jer 2:8 : 8 The priests did not say, Where is the LORD? and those who handle the law did not know me: the shepherds also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
- Hos 8:7 : 7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. It has no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal. If it does yield, strangers shall swallow it up.
- Mark 8:36 : 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
- John 6:27 : 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give to you: for him God the Father has sealed.
- 1 Sam 12:21 : 21 And do not turn aside: for then you should go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- Eccl 5:13-153 verses87%
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners to their hurt.
14 But those riches perish through misfortune, and he begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
15 As he came from his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor which he may carry away in his hand.
- Eccl 1:2-32 verses82%
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit does a man have from all his labor which he does under the sun?
- Eccl 2:17-248 verses80%
17 Therefore I hated life, because the work that was done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
18 Yes, I hated all my labor that I had labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I have labored and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 Therefore I turned my heart to despair over all the labor which I had done under the sun.
21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet he must leave his inheritance to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 For what has man from all his labor, and of the striving of his heart with which he has labored under the sun?
23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work is burdensome; even at night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
24 There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.
- Eccl 5:17-182 verses80%
17 All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.
18 Behold, what I have seen: it is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him; for it is his portion.
- 79%
16 There is no end of all the people, even of all who have been before them; they also that come after will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
- 79%
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor I had toiled to do; and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
- 79%
9 What profit does he have who works in that which he labors?
- Eccl 6:1-99 verses79%
1 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
2 A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all he desires, yet God does not give him the power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, yet his soul is not filled with good, and indeed he has no burial; I say, that a premature birth is better than he.
4 For it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
5 Moreover, it has not seen the sun nor known anything: this has more rest than the other.
6 Yes, even if he lives a thousand years twice over, yet has seen no good: do not all go to one place?
7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his appetite is not satisfied.
8 For what has the wise more than the fool? what does the poor have, who knows to walk before the living?
9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire: this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
- Eccl 4:3-42 verses77%
3 Yes, better is he than both, who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4 Again, I considered all the toil and every right work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
- Eccl 4:7-82 verses77%
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
8 There is one alone, without a second; yes, he has neither child nor brother, yet there is no end to all his labor, nor is his eye satisfied with riches, nor does he ask, 'For whom do I labor and deprive my soul of good?' This is also vanity, yes, it is a grievous toil.
- 76%
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
- Eccl 1:5-62 verses76%
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it arose.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north; it whirls around continually, and the wind returns again according to its circuits.
- Eccl 6:11-122 verses76%
11 Since there are many things that increase vanity, what advantage does man have?
12 For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
- 75%
8 Vanity of vanities, says the preacher; all is vanity.
- 75%
22 Therefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what shall be after him?
- 75%
3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that, they go to the dead.
- Eccl 3:19-202 verses75%
19 For that which befalls the sons of men also befalls beasts; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other; yes, they all have one breath; so that a man has no advantage over a beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go to one place; all are of dust, and all turn to dust again.
- 74%
26 For God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to the man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and collecting, only to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
- 74%
14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth: there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
- 74%
2 He comes forth like a flower and is cut down; he flees also as a shadow and does not continue.
- 74%
6 Surely every man walks in a vain show: surely they are troubled in vain: he heaps up riches, and does not know who shall gather them.
- 74%
8 But if a man lives many years, and rejoices in them all, let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is vanity.
- 73%
10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had done so. This also is vanity.
- 73%
17 Then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. Even though a man labors to seek it out, he shall not find it; moreover, though a wise man thinks to know it, he shall not be able to find it.
- 73%
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone; and its place remembers it no more.
- 72%
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave where you go.